MUSIC: No stranger to music

Paula Nelson, daughter of Willie, making name for herself

I know people may come out because of the last name. But when they leave, I definitely know that they'll know that I have an identity of my own." Paula Nelson, daughter of legendary musician Willie Nelson, performs next week at San Angelo's House of FiFi DuBois Contributed photo $ID/[No paragraph style]:

Copyright: Todd V. Wolfson

SAN ANGELO, Texas - Who: Paula Nelson in concert

When: 9 p.m. June 15

Where: The House of FiFi DuBois, 123 S. Chadbourne St.

Contact: 325-658-3434

When she was 7, Paula Nelson and her sister used to join their dad on stage during the gospel portion of his concerts and sing a song or two. But it wasn't until many years later that the little girl who donned the Marie Osmond wig on stage decided music was the life for her

The singer/songwriter will perform June 15 at San Angelo's House of FiFi DuBois.

During a phone interview this week, Nelson was navigating the streets of Kerrville, searching for something to wear for a performance that evening. Nelson said while she enjoys playing large venues, the smaller gigs like Kerrville and FiFi's are more personal settings where she can see her audience and be more in tune with their reactions to her show.

She and her current band, Landis Armstrong and Kevin Lance, have played together for eight years, and in that time, Nelson thinks she has grown into her own identity as a performer.

"I played with three or four different bands before this," Nelson said. "We're friends, we travel together, I call them my family."

Growing up as the daughter of country music legend Willie Nelson wasn't always easy for Paula. In her younger years, she shied away from the music business.

"I got to the point where I was more interested in boys than I was in music," Nelson said. "I distanced myself. I didn't get that he was a superstar."

She tried her hand at a number of jobs, including a waitress, a 1-800 operator and a vet tech. When she was 19 or 20, karaoke bars started gaining popularity and Nelson and her girlfriends took the stage to sing their renditions of The Judds' hits. Nelson started to get the bug and started coming out of her shell.

"I was singing on my answering machine," she said. "As I got older and was writing my own music, I didn't feel like I had to live up to someone else's songs. Still, for the first three or four years, I had one foot in and one out. I had to become more secure with myself."

Nelson says her knees would shake every time she got onto the stage and in front of the microphone. She felt for a while that she was being judged by her last name rather than her own musical talent.

"I took it personal for a while." Nelson said. "My band is such a support, once we started to understand the chemistry of the band on stage, going out and playing music together. You have to have good chemistry to make it work. That's when I saw a change come about. They helped me find my sound."

In addition to performing her music, Nelson also is the host of a radio show on KDRP in Dripping Springs. That gig has opened the door for Nelson to listen to other artists perform, something she didn't do much in the past.

"I was always afraid to listen so I didn't," she said. "I didn't want it to cut down on my creative feelings. Now I get to do research."

Nelson is also in the studio recording a new album, "Under the Influence," which will feature older tunes she says today's generation might not know. Songs by Jessi Colter, Mickey Newbury, Waylon Jennings, Leon Russell (whom Nelson refers to as "Rockin' Santa Claus"), Roger Miller and Willie Nelson.

"I grew up not realizing how cool they were." Nelson said. "I also love to listen to Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra. Music like that gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling."

As for her performances, such as next week's gig at FiFi's, Nelson knows some people will come see the show out of curiosity, and that's OK with her.

"I know people may come out because of the last name," Nelson said. "But when they leave, I definitely know that they'll know that I have an identity of my own."